London loves

When I was just a starving student (and then starving graduate) in London, I used to daydream about how I'd decorate my first real flat. Sadly, all the bedsits and rooms I rented over the years there were already furnished, so I had to make due by plastering my bedroom walls with my Britpop posters, Ikea/Argos finds, and simple white bedding I stole from a hostel. Heal's was waaaaaay out of my league.

But not any more! While visiting last month I found a lot of inspiration and thought again about how I'd furnish a little London place if I ever had the chance. The big pieces came from the obvious sources--like Habitat and the aforementioned Heal's.

I mean, really. Who couldn't resist witty pieces like a clothespin coffee table, or an ombre bench?

Or fine, locally made British pieces like this table:

Or design classics like the tongue chair by Arne Jacobsen (which I had never seen in person before):

It was so great to finally see lighting by designers like Michael Anastassiades in person. I had specified some of them for Ye Olde Dayjobbe, but to see them in person really convinced me I wasn't crazy.

Throw it together with some wallpaper inspiration from the Zetter Townhouse...

 ...Or some Timorous Beasties urban toile wallpaper (seen at the Perseverance on Lambs Conduit Street)

...And it'd all look great in a dining room, along with some of these leather chairs I saw at Byron (a burger joint chain--these were in the Farringdon branch.)

 

Of course then you'd need a sofa...I liked this one from Habitat.

I'd pair it with this rope table from Dwell:

Or maybe a colorful and simple sofa from Muji (their European products are more varied than the US selection)

It'd be fun to pair one of those sofas with an ottoman like this...

Or some modular cocktail tables...

Of course you'd need an accent/lounge chair...

 

And a place to stash the TV...

Maybe a simple chest at the foot of the bed for blankets and such. This one from Lom Bok was a lovely unfinished raw wood...

 

Of course I would finish it all off with a crazy cat pillow (I actually bought this one and stuffed it in my suitcase!)

I'd finish it off with a stop at The Cloth Shop from my old 'hood, or even a department store like John Lewis for some other pillow textiles, but there you go. My kooky London flat!